what gift has running given you?

rest day today. for some reason i’m really feeling it. wanted to head out for a run first thing this morning and had to remind myself that rest days are good things…

so instead of thinking while running, i’ve just done some thinking. not for long mind, it makes my brain hurt without the brain lubrication of running lol.

and i got to thinking about things i have removed from my everyday life, since i caught the running virus. now some of these are more “complete” than others, and some have only just been started, all of them are works in progress in one way or another.

but it’s an interesting list, nonetheless:

ranting and raving

i used to do that. a lot. i had a whole blog that was me, ranting and raving about whatever-i-wanted-to-rant-and-rave-about-at-the-time.

it wasn’t productive. it didn’t even make me feel any better most of the time.

the blog has gone now.

so has the ranting and raving offline. i don’t miss it.

politics and current affairs

this is sort of related to the first item – a lot of the ranting and raving was politically “inspired”.

but two things have happened this year. i have become calmer somehow (through running). maggie thatcher, the biggest source of political angst and hatred in my life, the woman who shaped most of my political views, died. when she died, the college angst died too.

running has flushed the sticky black residue of all that from my system

weird. refreshing.

tv

i’ve not been a “telly addict” for a long time now, but these days i seem to watch very very little television.

i like channel 10’s “masterchef”, but once that’s done, it’s time for me to go to bed these days.

and i don’t feel like putting the tv on at 2am just to fit in some “tv time” lol.

again, i really don’t miss it.

negativity and anger

i suppose this too fits in with the ranting and raving, but i think it’s more general than that.

with the exception of 1 or 2 areas of my life, i just can’t be bothered getting angry or overly negative any more.

and even then it’s not really anger any more. rather it’s frustration.

work is the main source currently. that and a sense of needing to add meaning to my existence.

i need to put some effort into the negativity that arises from work – it really serves no purpose.

it needs to be channeled in more positive ways – e.g. in creating a successful “escape” plan.

worrying about the future

i have always been optimistic overall, but i do definitely have an inner worry gene (inherited from my mum probably).

i’m slowly shutting that worry up.

slowly getting to a point where i just have a little more belief in my own abilities.

slowly coming around to the point of view that the future can be whatever i want it to be.

this too needs more work. that work will be entirely worthwhile!

certain things need adding in

with space being left by those things, there is an opportunity (and a need) to fill the space with more positive things.

better organisation

better time management

fitness certification studies

building my knowledge of running

actively developing the world domination blueprint

these are more positive, more action-focused things that will help move me, move my life, move the mission, forwards.